NEW DELHI: At least 45 persons were killed in New Delhi factory fire and the toll still expected to rise, as rescued people are seriously injured and fire fighters are still working to extinguish the fire, local police said.
Fire broke out in the early hours in the city’s old quarter, whose narrow and congested lanes are lined with many small luggage manufacturing and storage units.
The rescue operation is continue and the rescuers have so far evicted at least 50 people, said an official of Fire Department of New Delhi.
All the rescued were laborers and factory workers sleeping inside this four- or five-storied building, the official said, adding that the fire had been extinguished but rescue operations were ongoing.
All the rescued persons were rushed to the nearby local hospitals, which have already confirmed 45 deaths. Some of the others are also in a serious state, the police officials revealed, and added that most of the dead were sleeping when the fire broke out and died due to asphyxiation,
Fire officials said it was very difficult to access the dark, poorly lit premises in the commercial hub of Sadar Bazar.
The building was filled with school bags and packing material, they said, but cautioned they were still unsure about the cause of the fire.
Many factories and small manufacturing units in big Indian cities are often located in old, cramped quarters of the cities, where the cost of land is relatively cheaper.
Such units often also serve as sleeping quarters for poor, mostly migrant laborers and workers, who manage to save money by sleeping overnight at their workplaces.
Lack of planning and lax enforcement of building and safety regulations often leads to such deadly accidents.
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